Artwork
Page from Tales of a Parrot (Tuti-nama): text page
Page from Tales of a Parrot (Tuti-nama): text page is an unspecified painting. It dates from 1560 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art. This object is a single folio from the Persian illustrated manuscript known as Tales of a Parrot (Tuti‑nama).
About this work
Technique & Style
The miniature was created using tempera and gold leaf on a paper support, typical of Mughal book illustration.
The miniature was created using tempera and gold leaf on a paper support, typical of Mughal book illustration. The drawing was applied with fine brushwork, and the page bears handling marks from folio use. Formal qualities include a restrained palette of blues and reds, balanced composition, and a stylized naturalism characteristic of 16th‑century Persianate manuscript painting.
The work was produced in the Mughal imperial workshop and is now housed in the Cleveland Museum of Art.
History & Provenance
The miniature originates from a 1560 manuscript page produced in the Mughal Empire and later entered the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art. It is attributed to an anonymous artist associated with the Mughal court, reflecting the stylistic conventions of 16th-century Persian miniature painting. The work was acquired by the museum as part of its South Asian art holdings, ensuring its preservation within a public collection.
The painting was created as part of a Persian-language illustrated manuscript known as the Tuti-nama, a series of didactic tales. Its production aligns with the patronage practices of the mid-16th century, when imperial workshops commissioned illustrated texts for elite audiences. The manuscript page remained in India before being acquired by Western collectors and eventually donated to the Cleveland Museum of Art, where it is catalogued under accession number 1962.279.75.a.
Overview
This object is a single folio from the Persian illustrated manuscript known as Tales of a Parrot (Tuti‑nama). The page consists of a sheet of paper on which the narrative text is rendered in flowing black calligraphy, surrounded by a thin red border. The sheet shows signs of age, with a yellowed surface that suggests long-term preservation.
Subject & Meaning
The written portion contains a segment of the story, composed in elegant, cursive script intended for oral recitation. The narrative follows the traditional format of the Tuti‑nama, a collection of moral and romantic tales conveyed through the voice of a parrot, serving both entertainment and didactic purposes.
Context
Tales of a Parrot belongs to a broader tradition of Persian literary works that combine prose, poetry, and illustration to convey moral lessons. Such manuscripts were often read aloud in courtly or scholarly settings, reflecting the educational and entertainment values of the period.
Artist & collection
- Page from Tales of a Parrot (Tuti-nama): text page
Page from Tales of a Parrot (Tuti-nama): text page
Page from Tales of a Parrot (Tuti-nama): text page
Page from Tales of a Parrot (Tuti-nama): text page
Page from Tales of a Parrot (Tuti-nama): text page
Page from Tales of a Parrot (Tuti-nama): text page
Page from Tales of a Parrot (Tuti-nama): text page
Page from Tales of a Parrot (Tuti-nama): text page
Page from Tales of a Parrot (Tuti-nama): text page
Page from Tales of a Parrot (Tuti-nama): text page
Page from Tales of a Parrot (Tuti-nama): text page
Page from Tales of a Parrot (Tuti-nama): text page